Police bust theft racket, recover seven vehicles

Luke Owoyesigyire, Deputy Kampala Metropolitan spokesperson. FILE PHOTO

Police have arrested 10 men believed to be part of a gang involved in stealing vehicles in and around Kampala.

Four of the suspects are said to have stolen a Toyota Noah, Reg. No UAV 678M, belonging to Mr Alex Nsubuga, a journalist, from Ganda in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, on February 9.

In the process of recovering the vehicle, Police Flying Squad recovered more stolen ones and arrested a group of men behind the crime. The suspects are said to steal vehicles from parking yards and residences in Kampala Metropolitan area and Luweero District.

The Deputy Kampala Metropolitan spokesperson, Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, said the arrests were made following an increase in cases of vehicle theft.

“Following rampant robberies and thefts of motor vehicles by a group of thugs within Kampala Metropolitan area from parking yards and residential areas, an operation was carried out,” Mr Owoyesigyire said.

He identified some of the suspects as Khakifan Kiwawu of Quarter Zone, Kanyanya, Herbert Kalege of Bwanga Zone in Nakaseke District, Vincent Tumuhaise, Silver Waigumba and Yusuf Lwanga, aka Abbey Mukko.

During the operation, the Flying Squad recovered a Toyota Harrier, Reg. No. UBE 452E, from Kanyanya. The vehicle was stolen from Luweero on February 5. Also recovered from Kanyanya is a Toyota Premio, Reg. No. UBB 342E. The vehicle was stolen from Luweero on February 5.
Police also recovered a Toyota Premio, Reg. No. UBD 299W, that was stolen from Semuto in Nakaseke District on January 17. The vehicle registration number had been changed to UAW 905Y.

Recovered cars
Also recovered is a Toyota Corolla, Reg. No. UAJ 641G. Its number plate had been changed to UAQ 538N.
Police also recovered a Toyota Spacio, Reg. No. UAR 412Z, that was stolen from Semuto on January 20. The vehicle number plate had been changed to UAQ 091N.

During the operation, police recovered a Toyota Spacio, Reg. No. UAP 838T, that was stolen from Semuto in Nakaseke District in November 2019. Police also recovered a Toyota Ipsum, Reg. No. UAQ 234N, from Kanyanya. The squad also recovered is a Toyota Alphard, Reg. No. UAS 927F, that was recovered from a suspect.

Sources in police told Daily Monitor that the Flying squad has obtained intelligence showing that most vehicles are stolen using master keys and sold to accomplices in Bwaise. The vehicles are then dismantled and sold as spare parts.

As of last evening, Flying Squad operatives were still hunting more people who have been helping the suspects to alter the chassis and engine numbers of the stolen vehicles.

Mr Nsubuga narrated that his car was stolen while he was attending a friend’s wedding meeting in Ganda, Nansana. He said he reported the theft at Ganda Police Post. Reviewing the CCTV footage, police saw the suspect, Tumuhaise, driving it on Bombo Road.

“On February 10, we were given contacts who managed to identify the person in the picture. We looked for him and arrested him in Ttula, Kawempe. When police searched his home, they recovered the hood he was wearing when he stole the vehicle,” Mr Nsubuga narrated.

While in custody, Tumuhaise asked to speak to Mr Nsubuga and later led police to a parking yard in Ttula, Kawempe, next to Kakungulu Police Post. At the parking lot, Mr Nsubuga said police found Mr Silver Waigumba to whom Tumuhaise had entrusted the vehicle to give it to one Mukko,

Mr Waigumba informed police that Mukko had sent someone to pick the vehicle. Mukko was arrested last Friday in Kasangati after a two-week hunt.
Mukko later led police to Khalifan Kiwawu who he said was in the process of taking the car to have the chassis and engine numbers changed.